Another MouseStation Milestone

MouseStation 300 - Another MouseStation Milestone

Show run time 0:46:56

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In today's show, Mark and Mike look at some of their favorite episodes - and some ideas that never made it, plus more Twitter/Facebook polls.

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Let us hear from you!

We've put together a new listener survey to help us learn more about you and what you like most about this podcast. This one is much more targeted than the old Podtrac survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and let us know what you think.

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Thanks to our sponsors

Today's show is sponsored by:

Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. A luxury hotel one mile from Walt Disney World, where special MousePlanet rates ALWAYS get you at least 15% off the normal rates available for the property, and right now you can get rates as low as $129 per night – that's about what you'd pay for a Disney moderate resort!

Advantage Vacation Homes. A great vacation home rental company that gives you a place to stay with lots more space than a regular hotel room for a lot less money.

Opening: Introductions

We opened with a special montage of guest introductions that we've had over the course of the show.

Bonus: Alternate openings that never made it

Mark and Mike presented some of the alternate openings and show themes that didn't make the cut when we were coming up with ideas for the show. We think we made the right decision.

Feature: Episode 300 - Top 3 Favorite Episodes

Mark and Mike look at their Top 3 favorite episodes in three different categories: discussions, interviews and – of course – Top 3 lists.

Mike's second choice is Episode 1: Year of a Million Dreams because it was a great discussion, and as we revisited the issues our attitudes sort of moved toward the middle for each of us.

Mark's number two is Episode 117: Our First Time, where we were joined by Steven Ng, because he rarely has occasion to talk about his first visit back in 1972 and it was nice to try to put himself back in that time. It was also great to listen to Mike and Steven's first trips, as they were all at different times and different ages.

Mike and Mark agreed on their top pick, Episode 249: Kungaloosh! A Tribute to the Adventurers Club (with Bonus Audio track!), where we were joined by Andrew Rich to talk about a place that meant a great deal to all three of us. We all felt very strongly about it, and we wanted to do it justice. The fact that we were able to include segments of Mark's interviews with some of the cast members and the fact that we recorded the show right after Mark returned from the last weekend of the Club just made it that much better. Mark is still trying to figure out if he can make it down to either of the "last night" events at the club, with WDW Radio and Con-Galoosh.

Top 3 interview episodes

Mike made Episode 16: Meet the Guidebook Authors his number three choice because he recorded it live on the Disney Wonder, during his first MouseFest as a podcaster, and it was also the last piece of audio that we used from the Magical Moment Podcast archives.

Mike's second choice is Episodes 208 and 212: Mark Silverman, voice of Rod Serling Parts 1 and 2, because it was a fun interview, though the night that we recorded Mike had to take some time off to talk to the police, as his car had just been stolen. Mark will see if we can get him back on the show soon.

Mark's number two is Episode 9: First Family, where we interviewed Angie and Brian Davis, the parents of the family that won the Good Morning, America contest to spend a night in the castle before the first night was awarded in the parks. It was extra special not only because we were doing the interview from four locations (Mark, Mike and Angie in their respective homes in the U.S. and Brian from Iraq), but because Angie and Brian were not previously familiar with Skype and they were able to use Skype to talk to each other between Iraq and home afterward.

Mark's number one is the last interview from Episode 4: Walt Disney World's International Press Event. Mark loves the fact that he was able to get Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto all together at the same time, and that they agreed to sing "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" while Mickey played the ukelele.

What do you think? Let us know by sending us an email or calling our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278)!

As we promised during the Listener Feedback segment on Tuesday, here's the poster that listener Justin Hilden came up with for us. Click for a larger version.

Twitter/Facebook poll questions

We're continuing our new trial of spending the Thursday Listener Feedback time reviewing the responses to some questions that Mark was asking on Twitter and Facebook last week. If you'd like to get in on answering these questions in the future, you can follow Mark on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

Due to scheduling, Mark asked the question twice. First, after reminding people Last Thursday that MouseAdventure Walt Disney World registration opened the next day, Mark asked: In view of the fact that registration opens tomorrow, today's question is: Are You Game? Do you plan to sign up to play MouseAdventure WDW?

On Friday, after registration opened, Mark asked: So who has already registered for MouseAdventure Walt Disney World?

Response was less than overwhelming. In answer to Thursday's question, we had:

YES!!!

I swear I'm going to do one of the Disneyland one's one day.

I want to if I have a team. We'll have to see.

I would play MouseAdventure if I wasn't going to miss it by a week! We'd love to come as well - but my birthday is a week before and we want to take advantage of that at WDW. Looks like it will be 11/8 (we'd be flying home that day). I'll talk to my wife tonight and see about moving the vacation. It'll come down to MouseAdventure vs Mickey's Halloween Party. We've never done either one.

I do not plan to play WDW MA. ;) [from MousePlanet's Andrew Rich, who will be working the game.]

We r game!

In response to Friday's question, we got:

I was looking forward towards it, but after doing that mini-mouse adventure back in December, I kinda changed my mind on doing the big one.

We have :)

Can't go. Already have 2 trips planned for this year. Can't wait to hear all about it, tho!

Stephen want to go.....evidently. Like I didn't see that coming the minute I read the title of this post Mark. Just not sure if he wants to work or play. Either way I'll play photographer, if you like. New toy and 2x teleconverter.....they'll never know they're being photographed. Heheheheh

Will hopefully have my MA money in the bank by Monday.

Mike and Mark will both be working MouseAdventure, and are really excited to finally be having a full game at Walt Disney World, after four years of mini-MouseAdventures.

The second question drew a huge response. On Monday, Mark asked: If Disney were building a new resort hotel at WDW (inadvisable in this economy, but play along), what should the theme be?

I think that a German Chalet would be fun. Have it be like a resort in the Alps and have all the fake snow stuff around like at Blizzard Beach. An Egyptian theme would be cool also. If they wanted to stick with something American like all the other resorts than maybe a California theme like a Santa Cruz boardwalk over on the shores of Bay Lake, even though the GF is modeled after an old California resort.

I think an "international" theme would be good. Think of it as World Showcase meets Disney Resort lodging. That may seem a little redundant, but areas can be based on character traits of major international cities. I think it would be a cool theme for a Moderate or even a DVC resort and then base the offerings in the food court accordingly.

Since Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel don't really have much of a theme, they could go with anything that wasn't Craftsman. The remodeled pool and the Disneyland Hotel didn't give it a strong theme and Paradise Pier - did they even try to theme that??

Hmmm, how about an Enchanted forest one? That has all of the fairies this is from my 7 year old daughter. The boys say a Mythical themed one with Dragons etc. they are 10.

I would love to see some more movie theming - some other Disney classics, besides the ones I have seen at All Star Movies. I think a dino-themed hotel (ala T-Rex Cafe) would be really neat and would fit well w/AK.

I vote for completing the rest of Pop Century. Maybe that way there will be room available the next time we're in the area. (Insert whining)......they're always booked solid lately, wwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :(

Another vote for a Chalet theme.

How about a Fantasia theme? Personally, I'd love to stay in a room themed with hippos in tutus!

A resort dedicated to the Pixar flicks would be fun! One section could be related to say, A Bug's Life, and rooms could be themed to make guests feel like they're the size of a bug -- another could be Nemo themed and rooms would be themed as if under the sea. I suppose Toy Story's already been done at ASM... The Incredibles could be antoher section -- and the pool could have a statue/animatronic of Dash running on the water.... I think that'd be fun.

How about a European theme? Different sections could be different countries - Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland. The food court and restaurants could be amazing.

Since they have the pirate rooms at CBR, I think they should do a castle/pricessy theme.

My vote's for the international theme - a World Showcase Resort, if you will. Separate areas themed to each country (REALLY themed, not Value Resort-themed), surrounding a central dining/shopping/entertainment area. Maybe small restaurants themed to each individual country in each building. - ::::Snickers:::: Cars Land with one of the buildings being the Cones...ROFLOL....honestly Old west style.

How about an Indian palace, or some sort of Southeast Asian-themed resort? There's nothing Asian right now.

Alpine Village themed hotel.

As a fan of westerns and the old west I'd like to see a wild west resort.

I would love to see Disney build a Mediterranean resort themed like the Cinque Terre. http://is.gd/r7NZ

Medieval castles!

Again, if you'd like to get in on answering these questions in the future, you can follow Mark on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

Bonus: Alternate closings that never made it

The very end of the show had Mark and Mike presenting some of the alternate closings and tag lines that didn't make the cut when we were coming up with ideas for the show.

March of Dimes

Mark was recently named the top walker for the March of Dimes Northeastern New York region for 2008, and second overall in Upstate New York (above the counties of Westchester and Rockland). MousePlanet readers and MouseStation listeners helped Mark to raise over $5,000 for the worthy charity. We're looking to beat that this year and raise $6,000! Just go to Mark's fundraising page and help to provide a better chance to prevent prematurity and to help those babies that are born prematurely.

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